Who Are Those Gals? ~ Anita Ekberg

 

Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg was born in Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden on September 29, 1931. In her teens, Anita worked as a fashion model and entered the Miss Malmö competition in 1950 at her mother's urging. This led to the Miss Sweden contest which she won. Despite speaking very little English, she went to the United States to compete for the 1951 Miss Universe title. Although she did not win the Miss Universe pageant, as one of six finalists, she did earn a starlet's contract with Universal Studios.

As a starlet at Universal, she received lessons in drama, elocution, dancing, horseback riding, and fencing. She appeared briefly in “The Mississippi Gambler” (1953) with Tyrone Power, “Abbott and Costello Go to Mars” (1953), “Take Me to Town” (1953) with Ann Sheridan, and “The Golden Blade” (1953) with Rock Hudson and Piper Laurie.

Ekberg went to Italy to star in “Sheba and the Gladiator” (1959). She stayed in Rome to make “La Dolce Vita” (1960) for Federico Fellini. The film features a scene of her cavorting in Rome's Trevi Fountain alongside Mastroianni, which has been called "one of cinema's most iconic scenes"

Fellini called Ekberg back for a cameo in “The Clowns” (1970). She had bigger parts in “The Divorce” (1970) with Vittorio Gassman; “The Conjugal Debt” (1970); “Quella chiara notte d'ottobre” (1970); “The French Sex Murders” (1972), a giallo; and “The Long Ride of Revenge (1970).

Both of Ekberg's marriages were to actors who appeared in Euro-westerns, but neither of them succeeded. She was married to Anthony Steel from 1956 until their divorce in 1959 and to Rik Van Nutter from 1963 until their divorce in 1975.

Ekberg died on January 11, 2015, at the age of 83, at the clinic San Raffaele in Rocca di Papa, Roman Castles, from complications of chronic illnesses. The actress had been in a wheelchair for several years after being knocked down by one of her pet Great Danes, which broke her hip.

EKBERG, Anita (Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg) [9/29/1931, Malmö, Skåne län, Sweden - 1/11/2015, Rocca di Papa, Rome, Lazio, Italy] – model, film, TV actress, married to actor Anthony Steel (Anthony Maitland Steel) [1920-2001] (1956-1959), married to actor Rik Van Nutter (Frederick Allen Nutter) [1929-2005] (1963-1975).

The Long Ride of Revenge – 1970 (Jane)

Valley of the Dancing Widows – 1974 [scenes were cut]